Representative Donahue introduced an amendment to bill S27 on April 8 that would add a three‑sentence definition of the term “behavioral health” to the bill’s health‑care definitions to prevent other jurisdictions’ broader uses of the term from creating a loophole.

The amendment’s language, as explained to the committee, would (1) set out conditions that could be interpreted as part of behavioral health beyond the commonly understood categories of mental health and substance use disorders; (2) state that the term may have a stigmatizing impact and could deter individuals from seeking care; and (3) say that, where jurisdictions interpret “behavioral health” more broadly, the bill’s language may nevertheless include the broader meaning only for the limited purpose of avoiding questions about the statute’s intended scope.

Proponents told the committee the change is intended to make explicit that, if the bill uses the phrase “behavioral health” in a definition of health‑care services, the statute should still be read to include mental‑health conditions and substance‑use disorders so providers or payers could not argue services were excluded because the single term appeared in the text. Several members said they personally find the term stigmatizing and that the amendment is a compromise that preserves options for payment parity and integrated care while documenting concerns about stigma.

Committee members debated the amendment’s tradeoffs. Some members said the amendment was a practical solution to an interpretive problem when jurisdictions use the term more broadly; others said the committee needs more discussion with Vermont providers and people with lived experience to shape an inclusive definition that does not deter care. One member said she had refused to fill out a “behavioral health” screening form at a primary‑care visit because she found the wording offensive and stigmatizing; another noted payers and other states sometimes use “behavioral health” as an umbrella term that can facilitate integrated billing and parity efforts.

The chair took a straw poll on whether members found the amendment favorable. The transcript records that a straw poll was held but does not provide a clear, final tally in the record provided.

The committee moved on to additional amendments after the discussion; no formal committee vote or final adoption of the amendment is recorded in the transcript provided.